Churches in Norway

A cathedral (Norwegian: katedral) is the seat of a bishop, and "domkirke" (or merely "dom") refers to the function or status of the church, not the design, style or size of the building.

Architects Linstow and Grosch left their mark on the young capital Christiania as well as church building of the 19th century.

[14] Each church has largely been regarded as an independent public institution ("self-owned"), often with its own assets and land from which it obtained ground lease.

The congregation or inhabitants in the parish were responsible for the construction and maintenance of buildings, this principle was established as law at the 1024 Moster Assembly.

Unlike Norway's Scandinavian neighbours, there were virtually no nobility and few resources have been allocated to the construction of palaces and manors.

[8] Stone churches were more common in cities, along the outer coast, in rich agricultural areas in East Norway and Trøndelag, and in regional centres in fjord districts of West Norway; while stave churches were more common in rural or sparsely populated areas.

[2] The stave church (timber frame) method of construction is believed to be older than the log technique, and the former was completely abandoned after the reformation.

While the stave technique was abandoned in church buildings after the reformation, it was retained in the construction of barns and boathouses in Western Norway into the 20th century.

[5] The log construction gave a lower more sturdy style of building compared to the light and often tall stave churches.

Adding transepts improved the stability of the log technique and is one reason why the cross-shaped floor plan was widely used during 17th and 18th centuries.

[34] In Samnanger church, for instance, outside corners have been cut to avoid splicing logs, the result is an octagonal floor plan rather than rectangular.

[35] The cruciform constructions provided a more rigid structure and larger churches, but the view to the pulpit and altar was obstructed by interior corners for seats in the transept.

[5] Vreim believes that the introduction of log technique after the reformation resulted in a multitude of church designs in Norway.

The previous church building at Sylte was originally standing 4 km further upstream in the valley, about one month after materials had been transported in spring 1812, it was ready to use.

The early 12th century stone churches built in Norway's political and business centres implied the introduction of masonry work.

Soapstone is a common building material, notably in Nidaros Cathedral as well as St Mary's Church, Bergen and in sorts of decorations that required great detail.

Limestone was commonly used in Oslo, Akershus, Hedmark and Oppland; while a local type of marble was used in Møre og Romsdal and Trøndelag.

Surviving medieval stone structures are mostly church buildings, only a small number of profane monuments remain, including Håkon's Hall and parts of Akershus Fortress.

[2] For instance Dolstad Church has four arms attached to the central octagon creating an octagonal-cruciform floor plan.

The pulpit became the focal point of the church's inner space according to Protestant ideals where the spoken word (the sermon) should be the central act.

After the Norman conquest of England in 1066, the Anglo-Norman style was the main inspiration for Romanesque church building in West Norway, Agder and Trøndelag.

Nidaros Cathedral is the only Norwegian church building where the full array of Gothic elements, including flying buttresses, is used.

The typical rib vault was rarely used in Norwegian medieval Gothic, church builders instead relied on various types of timber roof trusses.

Bamble Church is an early example of wood construction Neo-Gothic inspired by local traditions.

The stave churches are noted for their elaborate wood carvings, particularly in doors and portals that are the main decorative elements.

[30] While no new churches were built during the late medieval decline, decoration and art such as altars and sculptures were still purchased in particular from Lübeck but also other towns in northern Germany or the Netherlands.

The lucrative trade in dried cod (via Bergen) allowed a number of high-quality artworks to be purchased to churches in North Norway.

Pictures and sculptures related to Catholic saints were removed or destroyed after the Reformation, for instance under the supervision of Jens Pedersen Skjelderup, the second Lutheran bishop of Bergen.

[70] Romanesque stone churches include decorations showing lions, snakes, dragons and other imaginative creatures – the actual meaning of these is lost.

The Anglo-Norman style influenced Norwegian Romanesque churches, particularly along the Atlantic coast where, for example, the chevron was used in ornaments.